Tobacco | AdventAI

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Aug 12, 1886

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 31.

Tobacco.

THE following facts gleaned from the Atlanta Constitution, relative to a single city, will give some idea of the magnitude of the tobacco business in the United States:—

The town of Durham, N. C., has now 5,000 inhabitants, and the majority are in the tobacco business. I visited immense establishments, and was bewildered at the extent of the business. There are now in Durham 10,000,000 pounds of leaf tobacco awaiting manufacture, and it comes in every day by the train load from all the surrounding country. The tobacco manufacturers of Durham pay to the railroads over $1,000,000 a year for incoming freights. They have over two thousand operatives, more than half of whom are girls. I saw five hundred girls in one factory. They were all sitting at little desks, making cigarettes. They make 750,000 cigarettes in one day in the Duke factory. Just think of it! Nearly a million! and all to be burned up into smoke and ashes.

Tobacco is very low now because of the overproduction of last year, and the Durham manufactory has bought very largely at very low figures. I was shown a pile of 150,000 pounds that cost only 2½ cents a pound; but it was very common indeed. Nevertheless it is worked up and flavored with a little New England rum, and sells very well.